Kate Porter

Partner

Kate Porter is a Partner at Vela Wood where she represents sports leagues and organizations in various aspects of their business, including the interpretation and application of league rules and regulations, as well as internal investigations and disputes, including in arbitration before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”).

Kate also serves as a member of the Investigatory Body of the Aquatics Integrity Unit of World Aquatics, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Dallas Cup, one of the most prominent youth soccer tournaments in the United States.

Prior to joining Vela Wood, Kate spent nearly a dozen years as an attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York where she represented clients in sports-related disputes. During her time at Skadden, Kate also served as clerk and ad hoc clerk to arbitration panels in sports-related arbitrations before CAS, under both the ordinary and appeal arbitration procedures. Her work on CAS matters includes disputes relating to the international transfer of players, the interpretation and application of an international federation’s rules, and anti-doping matters. Kate also has represented large corporations in international arbitrations before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), and International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Kate is listed as a Thought Leader – USA – Sports 2023 by WhosWhoLegal (WWL) and a Recommended Global Leader – Sports 2022 & 2021 by the same organization. Kate is an arbitrator on the European Handball Court of Arbitration, a member of the Editorial Board, North America Panel of LawInSport, a member of Women In Sports Law (WISLaw), and a member of the Board of Advisers of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law. In 2022, Kate was listed as a Who’s Who Legal Sports & Gaming Thought Leader. She also frequently speaks on sports law-related matters and has lectured to law students at Columbia University, ISDE, Football Business Academy, and St. John’s University.